Car dealer in north Cyprus fraudulently issued a fake insurance policy and changing the model year of a car

A car showroom owner in Lefkoşa was arrested and brought to court for fraudulently providing false information about the model year of a vehicle and issuing an insurance policy. 

The suspect, O.A, a Turkish Cypriot was arrested and brought to court on Saturday January 18 on charges of "Forgery, Circulating Forged Documents, and Fraud".

The police stated that in June 2024, with the intention of defrauding, the suspect sold a Mazda Demio vehicle with license plate MF 759, registered under his car dealership operating in Lefkosa, to one E.S. for £8,500 by falsely claiming it was a 2013 model when it was actually a 2009 model.

The police revealed that the suspect on the same date also issued a fraudulent traffic insurance policy through Cyprus Insurance, where he acted as an agent, falsely listing the vehicle's model year as 2013. The policy was then sent to the buyer. 

The incident came to the police’s attention on January 17, 2025, leading to the suspect's immediate arrest under a warrant the same day.

During a search at the suspect's workplace, evidence was seized, including an HP laptop used to create the fake policy and a Samsung S24 smartphone through which the policy was sent to the buyer via WhatsApp.

Stating that the investigation is ongoing, the police requested three days of detention to collect further evidence and take statements.

The judge, after reviewing the testimony, ordered the suspect to remain in custody for three days.